Influenced by wars and conflicts in the world, Pope Francis opened this year’s Christmas celebrations with a Christmas Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. The head of the Catholics denounced the bloody skirmishes – the war in Ukraine in 2022 was especially horrifying. In the Holy Land, Christians from all over the world celebrated the traditional Christmas procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.
At the same time, the pope advocated not chasing after material things at Christmas, but taking care of charity. After the corona pandemic allowed only limited services in the Vatican during Christmas 2020 and 2021, St. Peter’s Basilica was again full on Christmas Eve this time. According to the Holy See, there were about 7,000 worshipers inside the basilica and about 3,000 people also attended Mass outside in St. Peter’s Square.
The pope used the sermon to condemn wars: “People in the world who are hungry for power and money consume even their neighbors, their brothers and sisters. How many wars are there! And in how many places are dignity and freedom trampled underfoot today!” In his sermon, however, he did not directly mention the war in Ukraine.
The weak and the poor are the “greatest sufferers”
Francis called the weak and poor the “chief sufferers of human greed”. The 86-year-old, who spent most of the service next to the altar due to his knee pain, said: “This Christmas too, a humanity that insatiably strives for money, power and pleasure makes no room for the little ones. For the many unborn, poor people, forgotten people, just like Jesus. I think especially of the children who are devoured by war, poverty and injustice.”
“No Real Christmas Without the Poor”
Jesus was born without luxuries and comforts – but as a result “the true riches of life came to light”, namely interpersonal relationships, as Francis emphasized. “Of course it is not easy to leave the pleasant warmth of worldliness to embrace the austere beauty of the Cave of Bethlehem,” he preached. “But we must remember that there is no real Christmas without the poor. Christmas is also celebrated without them, but not the Christmas of Jesus.”
Walked last bit
The traditional Christmas procession had already traveled from Jerusalem to Bethlehem as a wagon convoy on Saturday afternoon. The head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, walked the last stretch of the road to Bethlehem’s Manger Square. There he was received by Christian representatives.
In contrast to the past two Corona years, tens of thousands of visitors are expected during the Christmas holidays. Israel’s Ministry of Tourism is preparing for about 120,000 pilgrims.
The proportion of Christians has continued to decline
In their Christmas message, the representatives of several churches in the Holy Land complained about an increase in attacks against Christians and discrimination. Young Christians no longer felt welcome in their ancestors’ lands, and many of them left the region, it said. Therefore, the proportion of Christians has continued to decline.
Of the approximately five million Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, less than two percent are Christians. According to the latest information from the Israeli Bureau of Statistics, there are approximately 185,000 Arab Christians living in Israel, representing about 1.9 percent of the population. Israel has about 9.6 million inhabitants, three-quarters of whom are Jewish.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
